the book girl reviews and tales of writing

Monthly Archives: April 2017

Ever notice that sometimes a guy will do something really stupid, like let the love of his life slip through his fingers? Yeah. I’m that guy. But the moment I run into the woman I once loved madly, I’ve got one goal and one goal only–a second chance. The plan? Go big or go home.

Fine, at first glance, stripping naked at my ex-girlfriend’s place of work might not seem like the brightest way to win her heart again. But trust me on this count–she always liked me best without any clothes on. And you’ve got to play to your strengths when you’re fighting an uphill battle. As a lawyer, I know how to fight, and I’m prepared to fight hard for her. Because sometimes you need a second chance at first love.

He’s the one who got away . . .
The nerve of Tyler Nichols to reappear like that at my job, showing off his rock-hard body that drove me wild far too many nights. That man with his knowing grin and mischievous eyes is nothing but a cocky jerk to saunter back into my life. Except, what if he’s not . . .? I’ve tried like hell to forget him, but maybe I’m cursed to remember the guy I fell madly in love with eight years ago. Lord knows I’m not over him, so what’s the harm in giving him a week to prove he’s changed in the ways that matter?

After all, how do you resist the hot one . . .?

My thoughts:

I loved this book! It is romantic, funny, and sexy.

Tyler regrets how he treated Delaney in the past. It wasn’t what he really wanted to do, but he broke-up with her in a terrible way. Eight years later, he wants a second chance. I loved Tyler’s determination to get Delaney back, but also to really apologize for the way he treated her. In trying to win her love again, they are both able to really move on from their break-up.

Delaney doesn’t let Tyler in easily. Even when he shows up at her work and literally bares himself. She hasn’t been able to forget him and isn’t sure if she can forgive him.

I loved the way these two reconnect. They don’t immediately jump into bed together. Delaney wants to make sure that he can’t hurt her again and Tyler wants to show that he has grown as an adult. Of course, when they do make love it is hot, hot, hot!

One promise.Two hearts.Three rules.Four weeks to break them all.
When Aspen Phillips’ best friend invites her on a month-long road trip, she has serious mixed feelings. Sharing their tight quarters will be Bramwell Gage, overprotective brother and all-around jerk. Bram may be ridiculously sexy, but he’s made no effort to hide how he feels about Aspen—that she’s trash who’s no good for his sister. But Aspen is determined to get along with the uptight millionaire—and to keep her promise, concealing a secret about his sister that Bram can never know.

But after a scorching kiss reveals that Bram’s feelings toward her run much hotter than she believed, Aspen’s emotions swerve into a complete 180. Suddenly the girl who has nothing has everything—but only as long as the truth about his sister remains hidden. Because when all the secrets and promises unravel, she risks losing it all…

My thoughts:

I’m a little torn about this book. I loved the end of the book, but the journey there was up and down.

I liked Aspen – most of the time. She is a tough character and has a very big chip on her shoulder. She doesn’t seem like the type of girl who falls as fast as she does in the book. I know that her tough exterior was supposed to be just a facade, but I couldn’t see how in two weeks Aspen and Bram go from hate to love. Bram is an ass. Most of the time he doesn’t treat Aspen very well. It was hard to like the character, even though it’s obvious the reason he “hates” her is because he really finds her attractive. Again, I just don’t see this kind of character falling head over heels in love in such a short amount of time.

I did love the intensity of their physical relationship. There was a bit of madness to it that was very well written. I definitely felt that although these characters didn’t like each other very much that they were very attracted to each other.

The subplot with Bram’s sister felt lacking. The sister is used as a plot device several times, but didn’t seem like a fully realized character.

Max Alexander is nearing thirty-five. He’s built a successful company, and he’s conquered the professional world, but he’s never been lucky in love. Focusing so much time on his business and raising his daughter, adulting has come at the expense of his personal life.

His social skills are shit, his patience is shot, and at times, his temper runs hot.

The last thing he has time for is the recently single, too gorgeous for her own good young woman he hires to take care of his little girl. She’s a distraction he doesn’t need, and besides, there’s no way she’d be interested. But you know what they say about assumptions?

This is book 3 in the Roommates series, but each book can be read as a complete standalone as they all feature new couples to fall in love with.

What I thought:

When you start a Kendall Ryan book, you know that you are in for a sexy, scorching romance. The House Mate is just that. There is instant chemistry between Max and Addison.

Max has just had his life turned upside down. After living a carefree bachelor life and planning on continuing everything changes with one word – baby. I love how Max doesn’t act like Dylan couldn’t be his daughter. He doesn’t question his ex-girlfriend about what happened for the last year plus. (Although I feel at some point he should have asked Jen about the important stuff.) Max instantly connects to the baby and sets out to protect her and provide for her.

Then comes Addison. Addison is looking for a change after her world blew up. She answers the ad for a nanny, but she isn’t prepared for how hot the baby’s father is. Addison is the perfect nanny. She falls in love with Dylan instantly and puts her first. When Max tries to make a move, Addison knows that it could ruin their relationship and the relationship that she has with Dylan.

I loved that in this romance, Addison is the more level-headed of the two. Max wants to jump in with both feet and jump her. Addison is scared that her life could be thrown into chaos again and wants to make sure the decisions she makes are the right ones.

My only quibble with the book is Max’s attitude toward marriage and love change almost overnight. There is almost no way a man who has lived his entire existence making sure his relationships are only contemporary and superficial would suddenly want to be a married family man. The story would have rung more true if there was at least a little resistance to his life changing so much.

Workaholic billionaire Sawyer Carlyle may have joked he needed a buffer from their marriage-obsessed mom, but he didn’t need a waiting room filled with candidates to further distract him. (Thanks, bro.) But when a sexy job applicant shooes his mom and the socialite in tow out of his office, Sawyer sees the genius of the plan. And the woman. In fact, Miss Clover Lee might just get the fastest promotion in history, from buffer to fake fiancé…

This free-spirit might look like hot sunshine and lickable rainbows, but she negotiates like a pitbull. Before Sawyer knows what hit him, he’s agreed to give up Friday nights for reality tv, his Saturdays for flea markets (why buy junk still baffles him), his Tuesdays and Thursdays for date nights (aka panty-losing opportunities if he plays his cards right). And now she wants lavender bath salts and tulips delivered every Monday?

Yup, she’s just screwing with him. Good thing she’s got this non-negotiatable six-weeks-and-she’s-gone rule or Sawyer may have just met this match..

What I thought:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is funny, sexy and romantic. Sawyer has a major stick-up-his-bum and Clover is just the girl to remove it. (Ugh! That doesn’t sound right, but you know what I mean.) These two are a classic case of opposites attract. Sawyer is a business man and Clover is an adventurer. They are sure that there is no way they will fall for each other.

Clover is a lively character. She seems to be a flighty, irresponsible, good time girl. However, beneath her flighty and flouncy exterior beats the heart of a serious negotiator. The way she is able to get her way with Sawyer before he even knows what hit him is hilarious. I also liked the scenes when she negotiated with Sawyer’s mother who had a less than favorable opinion of Clover.

Sawyer is stuffy and set in his ways before his time. He takes his position as the CEO of his family’s company very seriously and doesn’t want anything – or anyone – to get in the way of his plans. His brother, Hudson, places the ad for a “personal buffer” and although Sawyer thinks the idea is ridiculous, he changes his mind as soon as Clover stands up to the one person he can’t – his mother.

Clover and Sawyer have instant chemistry. The sexy-times in the book are off the chart! The development of their relationship is sexy and sweet. I loved the way they each change for the other and realize that what they thought they wanted out of life isn’t necessarily all they want.

I just finished The Negotiator by Avery Flynn yesterday (loved it!). So, I’m starting a new read today. I’m trying to decide between The Hot One by Lauren Blakely and Going Nowhere Fast by Kati Wilde. I’m leaning toward Kati Wilde’s book, but haven’t made up my mind yet.

Watching:

So many new shows and seasons of old shows started this past week.

Of course, I watched Doctor Who. I loved Bill – the Doctor’s new companion. I’m hopeful that this season will be better than the last one. I also watched Veep and the Leftovers on HBO. I am getting kind of bored with Veep. The Leftovers was good, but I’m a little in love with Justin Theroux and spent most of the episode watching him. I will have to re-watch for the plot, lol.

What I watched and loved the most was The White Princess on Starz. The show has several actors that I love – Michelle Fairley and Essie Davis. I hope that I love the rest of the season as much as I did the first episode.

Back this week is Pretty Little Liars for the final season. I love this show, it is a total guilty pleasure, but I’m also ready for it to be over. I also caught the new Bella Thorne show, Famous in Love. (The whole season is available on Hulu) I’m not sure if I’ll keep watching, but I might with the ability to binge the whole thing at once.

Writing:

I haven’t written anything new in forever. I have gone back to school to get my psychology degree and homework takes up most of my time (along with the kids, husband, and house stuff). However, I did start something new this week. I’m not sure exactly what it is going to be yet. I know that it is a paranormal romance featuring demons and angels. I can’t wait to see where the manuscript takes me. (Obviously I’m not a plotter!)

Adeline Rigby will live with Accountant Jack Foster and pretend to be his fake fiancée for one month in order for him to seal a promotion to partner. In return, Accountant Jack Foster will intimately tutor Adeline Rigby in French before she leaves for Paris where she will fulfill her dream of attending Le Cordon Bleu.

The Terms:

1. Maintain distance. Three get-to-know-you dates before announcing their engagement will be tempting enough.

3. No touchy feely stuff. Or at least not too many public displays of touchy-feely stuff.

4. No sex.

5. All right, all right. One night of sex in order to be a believable engaged couple.

6. Two nights of mind-blowing sex to make sure first night wasn’t a fluke.

7. Absolutely, positively, no falling in love.

What I thought:

THE ATTRACTION OF ADELINE is a funny, sweet romance. I really loved the relationship that develops between Adeline and Jack. There is a lot of chemistry between them from their first meeting and it grows as they get to know one another.

At first, this story seemed like just a lighthearted read, but there was a lot more to the characters. Adeline is trying to fulfill promises made to a loved one and doesn’t believe that she has the time or the right to fall in love with Jack. Jack is trying to make a good impression at work and can’t see that his personal life is more important than his professional one. I enjoyed the character development that both Adeline and Jack go through to get their happily ever after.

I would recommend this book for anyone who wants just a little more depth within a really cute, contemporary romance.

Happy Easter! I hope everyone has a wonderful day full of family, chocolate and beautifully colored eggs.

I’m making my first Easter lunch this year – ham, twice baked potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, and pig cake. In the past we’ve either gone to my grandparents or to my in-laws house. My mother-in-law passed away in October and we couldn’t get away for the weekend because of soccer. So, lunch is at our house. I made it to almost 37 without having to cook a big holiday meal. I guess it’s time.

I was worried that the kids were going to be “too old” to do the whole dying eggs and having an Easter egg hunt thing, but they all loved every bit of it (even the teenager). It reminded me of when they were toddlers – except with a lot more competition.

After taking a year off from blogging and writing I am back. I have settled into my office and will start a new book sometime in the next week. I’m going to start doing book reviews again too. I miss posting about what I love (and hate). There will also be other kinds of posts about things I love – movies, television shows, websites, obsessions, etc. I can’t wait to start interacting with the book blogging world again! My first “official” post will be Monday, April 17th.